Jugular vein Thrombosis and Lemierre's Syndrome - Severe Complications of Oropharyngeal Infections.
Summary of "Jugular vein Thrombosis and Lemierre's Syndrome - Severe Complications of Oropharyngeal Infections."
JUGULAR VEIN THROMBOSIS AND LEMIERRE'S SYNDROME - SEVERE COMPLICATIONS OF OROPHARYNGEAL
INFECTIONSBACKGROUND:
Acute oral or pharyngeal infections usually heal under adequate therapy within a few days. Therefore severe regionary or systemic complications are not regularly seen. PATIENTS AND
METHODS:
We report on 3 patients in whom during or after apparent recovery from a pharyngeal or perioral infection a one-sided painful swelling of the neck associated with fever and leucocytosis developed.
RESULTS:
Color Doppler sonography (CDS) revealed unilateral thrombosis of the internal jugular vein (IJV) in all cases, whereupon we initiated high-dosed parenteral antibiotic therapy and therapeutic heparinisation. Furthermore, we drained detectable abscess formations. Nonetheless, in one patient fever attacks occurred postoperatively, accompagnied by septic-embolic lung infiltrates, corresponding to Lemierre's syndrome. In all cases, we achieved clinical recovery and remission of infection. The course was significantly prolonged in the patient with pulmonary involvement and in this patient no reperfusion of the IJV was achieved.
CONCLUSIONS:
Even today serious complications may occur unexpectedly in presumed everyday oral or pharyngeal infections. CDS is a suitable procedure to disclose a jugular vein thrombosis (JVT) promptly and non-invasively. Parenteral antibiotic therapy for at least 10 days is usually the therapy of choice for JVT; additional full-heparinisation is controversially discussed in the professional literature. Septic pulmonary embolism following pharyngeal infection and JVT, as described by Lemierre, was associated with a high rate of mortality in the pre-antibiotic era, and even today may be fatal in spite of appropriate and maximal therapy.
Affiliation
HNO-Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Freiburg.
Journal Details
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Laryngo- rhino- otologie
ISSN: 1438-8685
Pages: 533-538
Links
- PubMed Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20839137
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0030-1255047
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Lemierre Syndrome
A superinfection of the damaged oropharyngeal mucosa by FUSOBACTERIUM NECROPHORUM leading to the secondary septic THROMBOPHLEBITIS of the internal jugular vein.
Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis
DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS of an upper extremity vein (e.g., AXILLARY VEIN; SUBCLAVIAN VEIN; and JUGULAR VEINS). It is associated with mechanical factors (Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis, Primary) secondary to other anatomic factors (Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis, Secondary). Symptoms may include sudden onset of pain, warmth, redness, blueness, and swelling in the arm.
Subclavian Vein
The continuation of the axillary vein which follows the subclavian artery and then joins the internal jugular vein to form the brachiocephalic vein.
Postthrombotic Syndrome
A condition caused by one or more episodes of DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS, usually the blood clots are lodged in the legs. Clinical features include EDEMA; PAIN; aching; heaviness; and MUSCLE CRAMP in the leg. When severe leg swelling leads to skin breakdown, it is called venous STASIS ULCER.
Transverse Sinuses
The two large endothelium-lined venous channels that begin at the internal occipital protuberance at the back and lower part of the CRANIUM and travels laterally and forward ending in the internal jugular vein (JUGULAR VEINS). One of the transverse sinuses, usually the right one, is the continuation of the SUPERIOR SAGITTAL SINUS. The other transverse sinus is the continuation of the straight sinus.
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